“Ohhh,” She drawled, surprise coloring her features,“Yeahh,” Sebastian mimicked. During the following silence that ensued, he could hear his heart pounding loudly in his ears. She would refuse him, wouldn’t she? The last time she had been in his home, he had grabbed her like some dumbass villain, demanding she submit to him. She was probably still scared of him. He ran a hand through his hair, remembering how distant she had also felt in the past few days. She rarely laughed at his jokes, rarely leaned into his touch… She fulfilled her role as his fiancee perfectly, but he felt that he had lost a friend. “You don’t have to. I was just… Never mind really. It was a joke.”Wow, nice save, Sebastian, His mind taunted. You definitely didn't just sound like a blundering idiot.Ava tugged at her bottom lip with her teeth wondering what to say in reply. Spending the day with Sebastian seemed like an appealing idea. A very appealing idea. But they would not be in public. They would be in a c
Chapter 37Sebastian stood before his mirror wondering what to wear. Ava would be there anytime soon and while he wanted nothing more than to sweep her off her feet, take her to his bed and show her debauched things- very very debauched things- he had to okay it cool. Because he couldn't risk her running off to the hills the first chance she got. This was his one chance to fix the damned space between them and mend their friendship. He dragged a hand down his face. Should he really wear a shirt? Did he have to? He was in his house for goodness sake. But Ava was easily distracted and even though he secretly loved being making her blush and very distracted, he didn't want her accusing him of seducing him or some shit like that. If he took his shirt off around her, there was no telling what he could do. But she's coming for the jacuzzi, his mind reminded. It was a bit hypocritical, wearing a shirt now when he planned to spend time, half naked with her in his fucking cozy Jacuzzi-"Ah
Chapter 38"No way!" Ava squealed, jumping excitedly as she watched him whip out a large rectangular baking pan. She had followed his instruction on what to do. Had prepped the cheese, hard boiled the potatoes, yet she hadn't a clue what he intended to do until he brought out the baking pan. "You're making cottage cheese!" Sebastian laughed at how childish she sounded. Damn she looked adorable. Her blue eyes were round with surprise as she struggled to climb off the counter. Her hair was tied up in a ponytail much to his disappointment. He had wanted to see them spill over her shoulders, as soft as they looked. "We are making cottage cheese," he corrected, layering the pan with mashed potatoes. "Oh please," Ava mumbled, finally getting off the counter and rushed to his side. "I had no clue what we were making Because you wouldn't tell me!" "That whole thing you did on the counter is exactly the reason why I didn't tell you. I wanted to surprise you." Sebastian said without thinki
Chapter 39Ava took in a deep breath, staring at the mirror at her image. Was she too much? Perhaps she was doing too much. Her eyes ran down the monokini she wore. It was a one piece that covered my breasts in a rather modest way. Her belly was exposed through an opening and the black material slid down her hips, covering her backside. It was one of the few pieces she owned that Kim had picked out for her. And frankly it felt too revealing. Kim had always had a wild taste when compared to hers. It was not that Ava didn't like to feel sexy or powerful. She did. She just hadn't had a cause to feel that way until now. Until she met Sebastian. "Would he like it?" She whispered, feeling her body tingle in excitement. She could hear the rushing waters of the jacuzzi right in the bathroom next to her. Sebastian was already in there, warming up the waters and doing God knows what in there. Her eyes roved around his room. He had a pretty standard male bedroom. A large bed in the middle,
CHAPTER FORTYFor a while, they sat in the pool, sharing furtive glances, sidelong looks and sipping from the wine. Neither was sure of what exactly would be appropriate to talk about. Most likely because everything that swam through their heads, heart and mind were inappropriate.Sebastian’s fingers trailed lazily along the rim of the glass as he contemplated what to say. He had never been in such a daunting position before. Hell, he was a freaking ladies man! He knew his way around women. He knew what made the tick. How to bring pleasure. How they gave pleasure. Yet for the life of him, he felt like a little kid in her presence, wondering what to say without looking like a fool.Ava fidgeted with her fingers, feeling uneasy at the silence between them. The water in the Jacuzzi was hot enough and she had to admit, it was quite nice. It felt very nice/. What she couldn't stand though was the quietness. She peeked at Sebastian through long lashes, discreetly so he would not notice
He was a bastard and he deserved to be flogged to hell and back. But Sebastian wasn't sure he cared much what his punishment at the moment should be. Hell, he didn't care about shit at the moment. All that occupied his mind was the water slipping through the thin valley of Ava's breasts pressed together and how badly he wanted to kiss them. But he couldn't. They had the contract, they had their plans between them like a giant elephant and while he wanted to dash it, risk it all and see, he feared that his desire for her would only end up as a fleeting thing. Or worse. It could turn into a full blown obsession. But that was bull, he thought with a chuckle. He just wanted her. That was where his feelings for her began and ended. There was no use concocting ideas in his head. Ideas that were doomed to perish. He slid his hands down her body and sighed when she purred like a fucking kitty in his arms. Burying his face in her neck, he took a long drag of her feminine scent then held fi
Chapter 42Ava tiptoed out of the elevator, holding her breath. The living room was empty, the TV wasn't on, telling her Kim hadn't arrived yet. Her shoulders dropped in relief and she sighed loudly. "Ah thank goodness," She didn't think she could face Kim yet. Her hair was barely dry. The damp strands still sent droplets rolling down her back, causing damp patches on her dress."I must look like a harridan," she groaned, running a hand through the damp mass and quickening her feet. She had to get dressed quickly. Or rather, undress quickly. If Kim saw her, Kim would be sure to ask questions. Questions that Ava was sure she wasn't ready to answer. A rosy blush spread across her face and she bit her lip as she made her way hurriedly to her room. Closing the door sharply and bolting it, only then did she allow herself to breathe in relief. Her eyes then rounded like saucers and she raced to stand in front of the mirror. "What the hell happened?" She whispered, brushing fingers ligh
Chapter 43Sebastian found himself sitting at a dimly lit bar with his close friend Damian, their glasses clinking as they engaged in a private conversation. He had been carrying a weight on his shoulders, a secret he needed to share."D, there's something I need to tell you," Sebastian began, his voice tinged with a mix of hesitance and relief.Damian raised an eyebrow, his curiosity piqued. "Alright, spill it. What's on your mind?"Sebastian took a sip of his drink, gathering his thoughts. "You know Ava, right? The woman I've been seen with lately, the one I've introduced as my fiancée?"Damian nodded, a knowing smile playing on his lips. "Yeah, I've seen you two together. I must say, you make a convincing couple. So, what's the catch?"Sebastian leaned in, his voice barely audible over the ambient noise of the bar. "The truth is, Ava and I aren't actually engaged. It's all a charade, a façade we've created."Damian's eyes widened in surprise. "Wait, what? But you two seem so genuin
One month laterThe wedding had been a splendid affair and from the start, Ava was practically forbidden from lifting a finger for herself by Kim, Renee, Violet, and the flock of servants at her disposal due to how heavy she had become and she resorted to staying put unless she risked the ire of the women helping her dress up. Sebastian had planned a proposal with the rest of their friends leaving her in the dark. It was unexpected and it felt real and different this time around, they had come through so many difficulties and they both knew it was the right time to make it all real this time around.At the stroke of midnight on her wedding, Ava was standing at the entrance of the hall already adorned with palatial decorations with cascading floral arrangements hanging from every side of the grand room, sparkling white chandeliers hung high above with delicate draperies completing the settings designed to evoke an atmosphere filled with love and warmth. A group of violinists was posit
It’s been two months since Sebastian was released from the hospital and Ava moved into the mansion with him. The penthouse held too many hurtful memories and she wasn’t eager to go back there and be plagued by nightmares during her sleep. Jake’s trial hadn’t taken a lot of time either, there was a ton of insurmountable evidence against him and the jury didn’t take much liking to him either, or the judge. In reality, no one was going to take the side of a journalist with murderous intentions over New York’s most desirable couple. Their return to the spotlight had been a field day in the media world especially as articles and gossip about their breakup had been going on for a while now, their appearance together had all but quietened every rumor going on about them. Ava was becoming used to being pregnant and after a few weeks of tedious work down at the agency, she had gone on maternity leave that would run well into a few months after she gave birth.One of her favorite parts of be
Damian looked back and forth between Ava and Sebastian and it was pretty obvious that they had eyes for just each other right now, everything else faded into the background. He didn’t need any further clue, his time here was up.“I believe it’s best I give you both some space to talk things through.” Damian cleared his throat, gave Sebastian a nod, and patted Ava’s shoulders as he walked past her. “Do you think they’re going to be fine?” Violet asked Damian as soon as he got to the door. Sebastian spared them a glance over his shoulder before returning his gaze to Violet. “I can’t possibly say for sure but if what I noticed between them was true then we’ve got nothing to worry about.As soon as Ava heard the door shut behind her, she walked towards the bed, maintaining a friendly distance as she pulled out a chair and sat on it. Sebastian didn’t know how to start tackling their issues so he decided to make small talk first, it always worked for him and he was hoping that it wouldn
Ava made her way outside the building and towards the parking lot, it was lonely, just how she wanted it to be. She didn’t want any disturbance or interference from anyone. All Ava had wanted was for Sebastian to wake up from his coma. She spent days at his bedside, urging him to come back to her and he eventually did but she ran. There was no telling why she ran and she didn’t even have any logical explanation as to why she did it, the only thing she could say is that she was scared shitless and that was all she could say. She would eventually have to go back and talk to him afterward but she didn’t know if she could bring herself to do it. “Hey, sis.” Ava looked up to see Kim walking towards her flanked on either side by Renee and Violet, they all wore worried expressions on their faces and she could tell from their hesitation that they didn’t know if they should come any closer or maintain a healthy distance. “How did you guys find me?” Ava asked, her eyes were fixed to the g
“I’m only trying to look out for you,” Kim sighed. “I’m tired of seeing you crying after a couple of months where you think you’re in love and your troubles are behind you. It hurts me as much as it hurts you, Ava.” “I know,” Ava smiled sadly. Kim was right, she’d always been eager to jump right back into it without putting provisions in place in case her assumed fairytale moment didn’t come to pass. But things were different this time around, she had been through a lot and as a result, she’d been forced to put herself first for now before anyone else and if anything was going to happen, she would be the last person to instigate anything. She’d done enough and it wasn’t going to work, she wasn’t going to invest her time lifting a finger. She’s done enough already. “Things aren’t going to be the way it once was. I promise you that.”“Tell me you’re sure you know what you’re doing?” Kim nibbled on her lower lip. “I can’t promise you I know what I’m doing, Kim. But my heart is in the
“You really should stop feeling this way and making us feel like we’re strangers as well,” Kim frowned. “We’re here because we love and care about you, that’s the truth. You’re part of our lives so I don’t see how you keep interfering in what you’re a major part of. You’ve got to accept that so you’d stop feeling like you owe us something because you don’t.”Ava sighed. “Okay, you’re right and I’m sorry for feeling this way. It’s unusual to see a lot of people wanting to help me at the same time and that’s why I reacted that way,” “It’s okay, we don’t hold it against you. We know your past and how you’re still getting used to a couple of good gestures. Kim suffers from the same problem as well.” Violet assured her. “So, you mentioned that Sebastian woke up a while ago?” Kim asked, eager to steer the conversation away from their childhood. She wasn’t prepared to visit memories that she had worked so hard to repress. “Yes, he did. He wasn’t a hundred percent conscious and the doctors
Ava walked back into the hospital room as soon as the doctor mentioned it was okay for her to return. She walked back into the room to see Sebastian soundly asleep. “Is everything alright, doctor?” Ava sounded worried. “Did he go to sleep on his own or did he pass out?”“We gave him a sedative to keep him under for a couple of hours until he regains his full strength, he should feel much after he wakes up this time around and that’s what we’re hoping for. When that happens, we can then begin the final stage of his recovery process.” Ava nodded. “Thank you, doctor. We’re so grateful for the help you’ve rendered.”“It’s my pleasure to help. I’ve known Sebastian since we were both boys and my father has been the Bancroft’s family doctor for decades. He’s like family to me as well.” “Do I need to call you guys once he wakes up?” Ava asked, her eyes fixed on Sebastian. “You don’t need to, we’d be counting down the hours ourselves and carrying out checkups before midnight. You’ve got no
It’s been a week since the ugly incident and Sebastian hadn’t woken up yet. Ava was struggling to pull it together but she knew she didn’t have any other option, she couldn’t afford to break down right now not when she had to look after herself and the baby as well given the fact that the pregnancy was entering into its crucial phase.The doctor urged her to give him time and be patient till he decided to come around. His vitals were good and his condition was improving, he was going to wake up any moment from now, the doctor would always say giving her a warm smile in return. The conviction in his voice always seemed to calm Ava’s nerves so she waited calmly until Sebastian decided to come around.She was in his hospital room, sitting on a chair next to the hospital bed, her knees were pulled up under her chin with her face buried between a historical romance novel by Nora Roberts. Reading helped her calm down and forget her worries and she’d been doing a lot of it during the past f
“Life isn’t meant to be fair to everyone,” Damian offered Ava a soft smile. “It’s just the way life is and we’ve got to make the best out of what we’re given.”“Sebastian doesn’t deserve this,” Ava grumbled.“No one does but shit happens.” Damian shuffled his feet as he struggled to find a comfortable situation. “Do you think he’s going to come out of this? Be honest with me. I could use that right now if you don’t mind.”“Sebastian’s tough as nails. He’s one of the most stubborn men I’ve ever met and if there’s anyone I know who’s going to come out of this, it’s Sebastian.”“Thank you, Damian.” Ava rubbed her arms, trying to calm her nerves. “You’re welcome. If there’s anything you need, please, do not hesitate to inform me.”“I’m good. Besides, I have a lot of people doting on me already and you have work to do.” “If you say so but I’m still here if you need anything.”“I should’ve done this a long time ago but I want to thank you for talking to Sebastian and managing to convince